One major challenge to employing laparoscopic colorectal techniques is the ability to move all of the unrelated or non-involved tissue out of the surgical site to permit better physical and visual access to the target tissue or organ. In an open procedure, large metal retractors would be used to pull the masses of small intestines away and then pack them off with surgical sponges. When performing various colorectal surgical procedures, the surgeon often must manipulate the surgical instruments through a pile or collection of bowel to open up a window to operate in.
Thus, the need exists for devices that can be used to support portions of the bowel during laparoscopic colorectal operations in unobtrusive orientations to provide better physical and visual access to the portion of the bowel to be operated on.
The foregoing discussion is intended only to illustrate some of the shortcomings present in the field of the invention at the time, and should not be taken as a disavowal of claim scope.